Toronto Blue Jays fuel trade talk with addition of Ben Francisco

TORONTO — Pick out a seat on the bench, Ben Francisco — if you can find one.

The Toronto Blue Jays’ burgeoning bench battalion added another member Monday when they acquired Francisco, a backup outfielder, from the Philadelphia Phillies for minor-league reliever Frank Gailey.

Francisco’s arrival gives the Jays six outfielders, plus another two who can play both in the outfield and infield. That does not count designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who was supposed to play left field in winter ball.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos denied that he grabbed Francisco to set up a bigger trade. Immediately after the deal was announced, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Susan Slusser tweeted: “I hear [starter] Gio Gonzalez is the Blue Jays’ focus, as I’d also heard last week. They have too many outfielders after today’s trade.”

No question that the Jays are awash in outfielders. Anthopoulos insisted his current plan is to keep five, with Francisco and Rajai Davis serving as backups to Jose Bautista in right, Colby Rasmus in centre and either Travis Snider or Eric Thames, who are expected to compete for the left-field spot in spring training.

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“We think it’ll work fine,” Anthopoulos said in a conference call with reporters.

At the same time, he acknowledged that the outfield surplus gives him flexibility if a trade opportunity arises. He said he hopes to add “at least one more player” this off-season, and continues to look for a starter, bullpen help and “that big bat.”

“We’re still trying to actively get players in trades. We’re still trying to sign some free agents and exploring some things,” he said with typical ambiguity.

Francisco, 30, is a career .260 hitter with a .332 on-base percentage. Last season he batted .244 with a .340 on-base mark in 100 games for the Phillies.

Anthopoulos said Toronto scouts like Francisco as a right-handed batter who “has hit very well” against left-handers.

However, in his career, Francisco’s numbers against lefties and righties are remarkably similar. Against left-handers, he has hit .261 with a .343 on-base percentage and a .425 slugging percentage. Against right-handers, his line is .259/.326/.433.

Besides the outfielders mentioned earlier, the Jays also have Mike McCoy and Mark Teahen, who can play infield and outfield spots.

Teahen rarely played after he was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the three-team deal that brought Rasmus to the Jays last July 27. But he has a US$5.5-million guaranteed contract for 2012, even though he clearly does not fit into the Jays’ plans.

Anthopoulos did not mention Teahen during the conference call. Asked later about Teahen’s role, the GM replied in a text: “Right now he’s a bench player. We added depth on a player [Francisco] with a non-guaranteed contract.”

Francisco made US$1.175-million last season.

Anthopoulos said he envisioned manager John Farrell using Francisco against “tough left-handers” to replace one of the Jays’ left-handed-hitting starters.

“Right now, you’re looking at Kelly Johnson, Rasmus, Thames or Snider, and [Adam] Lind – four out of the nine bats in our lineup are left-handers, and it’s nice having some options on the bench that can help balance that a little bit,” he said.

With 31⁄2 months to go before spring training, Anthopoulos has lots of time to clear his outfield logjam — it seems likely that a trade or two might make space — so no one will need to bring his own chair when the season opens.

The Jays also claimed right-hander Jim Hoey off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and outrighted catcher Brian Jeroloman and pitcher Drew Carpenter to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Hoey, who has an option left, split last season between the Twins and Triple-A. He appeared in 26 games for Minnesota, posting a 1-2 record with a 5.47 ERA.

His acquisition fills the Jays’ 40-man roster. Hoey will likely be the first man overboard if the Jays add another player.